Apple’s film in China tells story of differences between generations

Apple has released a video on its Youku page to showcase a story between three generations of women uniting over the holiday, with the video being shot entirely by the iPhone 11 Pro.

The video, Daughter, was directed by director Theodore Melfi and cinematographer Lawrence Sher.

Taking inspiration from true stories between three generations of women, the video tells the story of a single mother, played by renowned Chinese actress Zhou Xun, who defies the cultural convention of dependence on a husband, causing her to become estranged from her mother.

In the video, the mother finds herself working on Chinese New Year’s Eve only to discover an unexpected reunion. It aims to reflect the rapidly changing social norms of China and the generational differences between traditional families and modern youth, underscoring the important message that no matter how much people all grow apart, humanity has the power to bring them together.

Other than the story itself, the video also hopes to demonstrate Pro to Pro, a behind-the-scenes film that details Melfi and Sher’s use of features, including low light, slow motion, and portrait mode.

Pro to Pro gives a first-hand look at how Melfi and Sher captured flashback scenes in a take by using an ultra wide camera and taking advantage of the iPhone 11 Pro’s mobility by attaching it to cranes and windshields, and even placing it in a glovebox to capture scenes that professional equipment fails to do.